~ Shades of Lavender, Aubergine & Cream Wedding ~

Shades of Lavender & Cream were the perfect accents to the Bride's chosen Bridesmaid's dress color of Aubergine. We used Hydrangea, Peonies, Lily of the Valley, Dendrobium Orchids, Lavender Roses & Lily Grass. The choice of flowers were a bit old fashioned but designed with a slight modern twist by adding the loops of lily grass. Below you will see a gallery of the designs we created for the bridal party & the reception.

This was fun for me to do, because the flowers we used are some of my personal favorites!

The reception was in a venue that had no outside light filtering in to give that evening romantic feel, when in actuality the reception started at 4 in the afternoon. The Bride & her family placed mirrors on all the tables with votive candles & crystal scattered to give the table an elegant candle lit ambiance. We used glass cube vases that the Bride had covered with a cream paper & wrapped with champagne ribbon. Part of the vases we placed a couple of peonies with loops of lily grass. Simple design with an elegant look.

Here is another of the table centerpieces using the paper wrapped glass cubes containing a large hydrangea bloom. All floral centerpieces were sprayed with floral finishing spray & then dusted with an iridescent champagne glitter to add some sparkle.

The other tables got a larger centerpiece of bleached & glittered curly willow branches with crystals hanging from them. They were placed in a tall glass cylinder that was also wrapped in paper. This paper was cream background with a champagne print. Just a side note.....all curly willow branches were glittered by my dear hubby!! What a sweetie!

He had to do massage for the local High School track team for sectionals later that evening...he was so very sparkly!

This is the cake table with a couple of the tall branch centerpieces. Another side note....if I had a bit larger budget I would have added more branches to fill them out more & added more of the crystals. I think this turned out nicely, using the budget I was given for the flowers.

Side shot of the cake with the fresh flowers on it. Huge thanks go out to Val, my trusty designer, who finished up all the details of the cake & delivered all Bridal party flowers on Sat. I was not able to attend to it since my youngest son graduated from High School that morning & the wedding was a noon. She did an AWESOME job... Val is the BEST!!

Topper for the cake was entirely out of flowers. The Lily of the Valley was silk but blended nicely with the rest of the fresh flowers. Beautiful color palette.

Another shot of the cake. I love the simplicity of the design on the cake it was so elegant. The cake was created by Kelly Chaffin of Kelly's Cakes, in Mellot, IN.

The Bridal bouquet is a mix of cream peonies, lavender roses, dendrobium orchids, lavender hydrangea & silk lily of the valley. We were hoping to use fresh lily of the valley from home, but it was too far gone on the day of the wedding. I think the silk blended nicely & unless you were wanting to smell it, you would never know.

Another shot of the Bridal bouquet. We were hoping to get a shot of it with the Bride in her gown, but at the time we were there, she was not dressed yet.

Maid of Honor bouquet was a mix of the hydrangea, tea roses with some of the dendrobium orchids accented with loops & sprays of lily grass.

The Bridesmaids carried a similar bouquet but without the orchids. A side note....the hydrangea were actually blue when the came in & we used that as our base to tint them with lavender & plum flower tint to get the perfect color.

Groom's boutonniere was a piece of the hydrangea bloom, dendrobium orchid, lily of the valley & lily grass.

The Bride wanted her father's boutonniere to be different than the others but not the same as the groom's, so we used an orchid bloom & a piece of the lily of the valley.

This is the bouquet that was placed in front of the unity candle & was then placed on the mantle of the fireplace just inside the doors at the reception site. This bouquet was designed using stock, hydrangea, cream tea roses, & silk Phalenopsis orchids. We used the Phalenopsis orchids at the bride's requests as they were a flower that her mother had carried in her bouquet when she was married. We also placed a couple of the Phalenopsis orchid blooms on a comb that was placed in the Bride's hair for the reception after she removed her veil.

I would love to hear your comments, please feel free to ask questions or make comments in the comment box. I really enjoy reading them & love to know when you have been here....so please say Hello!!

~ In My Back Yard ~ Peony Bushes ~

Here are a few shots of some of the Peonies that are blooming in my yard. Most of these bushes were Mother's Day Gifts to me from my sons. I love that every year they give me something to plant in my yard. That way each year when they bloom I have living memories to enjoy.

Peonies are one of my very favorites. I love the huge blooms, the variety of colors & fragrances they come in too. It just so happens that they are also the state flower for Indiana!



One of my creamy white ones. The whites tend to have the most fragrance.



This is such an interesting center to this variety. I don't normally go for the single petal variety, but this one happens to be the one I received for Mother's Day last year. What a nice surprise the inside was when it opened...it makes up for the lack of petals, I think.



Same Peony, just the full view. Unfortunately it really doesn't have much of a scent.



Love this one's slightly yellow tint in the center. Most unexpected in a pink peony. Great fragrance in this one.



This is the most vibrant of all of my peonies. Very high petal count with a slight fragrance.



This pink is my favorite shade of pink. I love the shape of it & it smells wonderful.

This is just a few of the bushes I have, some of them the buds have not opened yet & some of them are so small that they didn't even produce a bud this year. Next year will be exciting to see what colors they are.

~He Did It! ~ A Very Proud Mother ~ Flowerlady!

One of his senior pictures taken at Prophetstown State Park in the prairie grass.



Another of his senior pictures ...love the serious look....it is one I recognize as I have seen it many times.



Receiving his diploma & giving the principle a strand of beads....not sure why but all the members of the graduation class gave him one.




The recessional....I think he is very happy! Yes, I know he wore shorts & flip flops....most of them did!



Mason & his older brother, Evan...what a couple of handsome young men we have raised! So proud of them both!



The graduate & the oh so very proud parents!

~In My Kitchen Window ~ Floral Design 101

I thought I'd share with you some basic tips for simple flower arranging. You can use this when you cut flowers from your own back yard & bring them in for your enjoyment.
This is from an article that was published in an online magazine last spring.



This type of arrangement can be made in a vase or some sort of wine or water goblet. I chose a water goblet & purple carnations from the "Florigene Moon Series" variety of carnations. They naturally grow in this dark shade of purple & come in 3 other natural shades from lilac to lavender.
I chose the carnation because of it's round shape & the ease of which it is to demonstrate with.
The rest of my supplies are water proof tape, a sharp knife, spray bottle of water & some embossing glitter (if a sparkle is desired). You can use all sorts of flowers from your yard to make this such as: peonies, lilacs, zinnias, roses, etc.



The first step is to choose your container. The length of the flower stems, when you cut them, will depend on this. Begin by filling your container with fresh water & add some floral preservative, if you have some. If you feel you would like a guideline, use the waterproof tape to tape a criss cross grid over the top of the container. This will aid in the arranging by keeping your flower stems in place.
Next you will cut the stems (on an angle) so that when you place it in the container, the head of the flower will rest on the rim of the container. By cutting the stems on an angle, it allows a surface for the water to be absorbed up the stem. If you cut them flat they might sit on the bottom of your container & not be able to absorb any water.



Continue to place the flowers all around the rim & then fill in the rest of the container, resting each flower head on top of the one below it till you have completed what looks similar to a scoop of ice cream.



I completed the simple look by tying a piece of ribbon around the stem of the goblet & filling it with clear marbles. To insert the marbles, simply push them gently between the flowers & around the sides. If you put the marbles in first, you may have trouble getting the flower stems pushed down into the container. You do not have to add anything to the container if it is a solid material. I just like the added affect that it gives to the clear glass.
The entire top of the flowers were then spritzed with water & sprinkled with embossing glitter for added sparkle. This is a nice accent if you are using your arrangements for a party or luncheon.
I choose to use embossing glitter because of the fine texture, it adds a subtle hint of sparkle. Just be careful not to over do it...it is very, very fine & comes out of the container extremely fast.

This is the type of little arrangements I love to place in my kitchen window all Spring, Summer, & Fall, using flowers from my yard. They are also great little arrangements to cluster together for centerpieces. Use different styles of vases or goblets for added interest.



Here is what found it's way into my kitchen window today....the very first 2 blooms of my peonies. Beautiful, vibrant, pink....lovely!

~ In My Kitchen Window...Mother's Day ~

On this very special day set aside to honor women as Mothers, I am reminded of the scripture found in Proverbs 31:10-31, that describes the Virtuous Woman.

She is the Godly woman, wife, & mother, that I think, most of us, desire to become during our lifetime. Verse 28 is my favorite reference to Mothers...."Her children arise and call her blessed."
What more could a mother ask for?

Here is what is in my kitchen window this Mother's Day! What is in yours?



Sweetly fragrance Lily of the Valley. How does all that glorious scent come from such a tiny bloom?



One of my very favorite flowers in my yard, the Lilac...reminds me so very much of my maternal Grandmother. Whenever I smell them, I am always transported back to my childhood & my time spent with her & my Grandpa on their farm.

Her row of Lilac bushes outside of the kitchen window would fill the room with that sweet aroma when she would raise the window up & let the spring breeze blow in.
Such sweet memories!

Today I thank God for giving me the opportunity to care for two of his sweetest angels, Evan & Mason. Thank you boys for making me a Mother, I love you both so very much!

~ More One of a Kind Ideas for Mom ~

More One of a Kind Jewelry Designs for Mom!



Green Apple Turquoise, Sterling silver necklace with a Tagua Nut Pendant & Charm



Triple strand Green Apple Turquoise & Sterling Silver bracelet.


Pink Opal, Thai Silver, Czech Glass, & Fresh Water Pearl with a Lampwork Art Bead.

More Unique Flower Ideas for Mom!




Dendrobium Orchids, Lavender Sweetheart Roses, Bamboo, & Miniature Pineapple designed in a ceramic pot.



Close up of the Miniature Pineapples.



Double Pink Tulips, Purple Matsumoto Asters, Pink Roses, Baronia Heather, Larkspur & Belles of Ireland.

~One of a Kind Mother's Day Gifts~

One of a kind White Iris Designs Jewelry




Sterling Silver Hammered Chain Necklace & Bracelet set with Green Lampwork Beads accented with Swarovski Crystals.



Sterling Silver Chain with inset links of Swarovski Crystals. The pendant is a collection of charms designed with Swarovski Crystals, Lampwork Beads & sterling silver. The toggle is a handmade swan clasp of sterling silver that was then hammered.



Sterling Silver chain bracelet with a collection of Polymer Clay Art Beads designed by Heather Powers of Humble Beads, that were used to make many little charms of Swarovski Crystals, Ceramic Beads & Sterling Silver beads.

One of a Kind Floral Designs by White Iris Designs



A dozen Circus Roses designed in a topiary fashion, accented with art wire & an angel charm. I think any Mom would love to receive her dozen roses in this type of design as the ones that are in a vase with lots of greenery.



A bit of Zen for Mom this year with this bouquet of purple Dendrobium Orchids, stock, kiwi green carnations & kermit button mums, accented with cane & aspidistria leaves.



A twist on flowers commonly used in traditional Mother's Day bouquets, carnations, alstromeria, & roses. All the same flowers you would typically see arranged in a clear glass vase with lots of greenery as filler, but we have designed them in a topiary style for a bit more interest & flair.

There are a lot more ideas we can offer you for your Mother at White Iris Designs. Looking for something special, chances are we can deliver.....give us a call, let us create something that Mom will remember for years to come.

To see all the detail in these pieces, click each photo to enlarge them.

~Prom Designs ~ Week 3...The "Red" Dress Design

Here are the designs for week 3 of our Prom season. This one includes my son, Mason & his date.
If you click the photos to enlarge them you will see all of the great detail.



Mason & Victoria before they left for prom. This is the infamous "red, but not red" dress! Aren't they adorable? For some reason (probably due to the photographer) the flowers appear to be more of a fushia pink, which is not how actually looked. You will have to trust me ....they were perfect!! :)



Close up of the silver butterfly encrusted with iridescent rhinestones that was in her wristlet.



The wristlet & boutonniere after creation. It was designed using stem dyed Dendrobium Orchids. The orchids were naturally purple with a white throat that was placed in a red dye. It is absorbed up the stem & changes the color of the white throat to a "red, but not red" & turning the purple outer edges a bit more pinkish purple. This photo does not do this justice. It look great on her dress.

His boutonniere was made to match & placed in a silver wire mesh holder that was magnetic...no need for pins!



This set was designed for a dress that was Caribbean Blue. We used yellow sweetheart roses accented with Caribbean Blue holographic leaves & a rhinestone dragon fly & beaded wire. It was for Victoria's brother & his date.



Peacock feathers were a must for this girl, who was wearing a peacock feather print dress. We used white Dendrobium Orchids that were tinted with peacock blue & apple green mix to get just the right color. She love them!



This set was for my nephew & his date. She was wearing a cream dress with gold sequins. The wristlet was designed using a peachy pink sweetheart rose & gold holographic leaves, art wire & ribbon. The rosette was originally silver & white, but was tinted & spinkled with glitter so it would accent the rest of the design.

This was our 3rd weekend of proms & our last is next Friday. We will post photos for that one next weekend. I hope that if you are planning for your son or daughter's prom, you are getting some great flower ideas that are a little unique.